Gas discharge laser

ABSTRACT

Instead of providing a quartz block with an aperture of small diameter, two rabbets are drilled in a wide tube in which plates are cemented which support a quartz tube of a small inner diameter. The construction is destined for a gas laser.

United States Patent [191 Haans et al.

[ Oct. 23, 1973 GAS DISCHARGE LASER [75] inventors: Petriis JohannesAntonius Strik, both of Emmansingel, Eindhoven, Netherlands [73Assignee: U.S.PliiiiyiEfiEiiiBiifiTn,

New York, NY.

[22] Filed: June 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 262,564

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 81,275, Oct.16, 1970,

abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 33/945 D, 331/945 G [51] Int. Cl. H015 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch..... 331/945 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,427,564 2/1969 Okaya et al 331/945 3,451,009 6/1969 Ross 331/945Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner--C0nrad ClarkAtt0meyFrank R. Trifari [57] ABSTRACT Instead of providing a quartzblock with an aperture of small diameter, two rabbets are drilled in awide tube in which plates are cemented which support a quartz tube of asmall inner diameter. The construction is destined for a gas laser.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure GAS DISCHARGE LASER This is a continuation,of application Ser. No. 81,275, filed Oct. 16, 1970 and now abandoned.

The invention relates to a gas discharge laser in which the dischargeoccurs within a quartz body to which the reflectors are directlysecured.

1n the laser known from German Pat. No. 1,202,901, the solid quartz bodycomprises a narrow channel while the reflectors are wrung onto the endsof the quartz body or are cemented thereto.

When in the case of a confocal or semiconfocal arrangement the channelmay have a diameter of only 1 mm in connection with the desirable modeselection, it is no longer possible to provide said channel by drilling.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple construction.

In a gas discharge laser in which the gas discharge occurs within aquartz body to which the reflectors are directly secured, according tothe invention the quartz body is in the form of a wide tube in whichnear the ends two plates fit in rabbets, said plates supporting a quartztube having a small inner diameter.

Both the tube having the large diameter and the tube situated on theinside may consist of normally available material, in which rabb ets areturned in the wide tube on the glass lathe while the ends of theinnertube are turned down until the correct fitting in the plate.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it willnow be described in greaterdetail, by way of example, with reference .tothe accompanying drawing, in which referencenumeral 1 denotes a quartztube, 160 mm. long, 40 mm outer diameter, 20 mm inner diameter. Rabbets3 and 4, 25 mm diameter, are drilled near the ends. In said rabbets,plates 6 and 7 fit in which the turned-down ends of the quartz tube 7fit. The outside diameter of said tube'is 12 mmand the inside diameteris1 mm. The. plates and 6 are secured in rabbets by means of enamel 8 asis the case with the tube 7 in the plate 6. The tube 7 has a sliding fitin the plate 5. The plate 5 comprises a few holes 2 for compensating thepressure in the gas. On the left-hand side of the body 1 a reflector 9is secured by means of cement 13. A dichroic layer 10 covers the flatplate 9. On the right-hand side a curved reflector 11, radius ofcurvature 19 cm, with dichroic layer 12 is present. This reflector isalso secured by means of cement 13.

Electrodes 14 and 15 in side tubes serve to produce the discharge in thehelium-neon mixture with an overall pressure of 3 Torr of which 10percent consists of neon. The discharge tube serves to produce laserlight of a wavelength of 6328 AU. 7

What is claimed is:

1. A gas discharge laser, comprising:

A. a first hollow quartz body defining a substantially elongatedtube-like structure;

B. a pair of reflectors individually secured at each end of saidtube-like structure, one of said reflectors being of an approximatelyplanar configuration, and the other reflector being of a concaveconfiguration;

C. a pair of plates each affixed at opposite ends of i said tube-likestructure in juxtaposition to the reflectors, said plates containingapertures for receipt of a second quartz body;

D. first and second dichroic layers each upon said reflectors; I

E. a second quartz body defining an elongated tubel ike structure havinga hollow center portion, said second tube-like structure rigidly securedat one end thereof to one of the plates, and slidably mounted at itsother end to the other plate, so as to align the hollow center portionopposite said dichroic layers; and,

' F. a pairof electrodes for producing said discharge, each mounted atopposite ends of said first quartz body and communicating to theinterior thereof.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein one of said apertured plates isprovided with a plurality of holes for gas pressure compensation. i

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the discharge Occurs n, a s ogshsliym sqnmitw e with. Overall pressure of 3 Torr, of which 10% consistsof neon. i k

disposed P04053 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3 768,034 Dated 0ctober'23, 1973 Q Inventor(s) PETRUSFRANCISCUS A. HAANS ETAL It is certified that error appears iri theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

IN THE TITLE PAGE "'1 After "[21] Appl. No.: 262,564" insert thefollowing as two separate lines,

-[30] Foreign Application riority Data Oct. 18, 1969 Dutch '69l579l--Signed and Scaled this 6 twenty-fourth Day Of February 1976 [SEAL]Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer 7 ('mnmissionerofPatems and Trademarks l. Q J

1. A gas discharge laser, comprising: A. a first hollow quartz bodydefining a substantially elongated tube-like structure; B. a pair ofreflectors individually secured at each end of said tube-like structure,one of said reflectors being of an approximately planar configuration,and the other reflector being of a concave configuration; C. a pair ofplates each affixed at opposite ends of said tubelike structure injuxtaposition to the reflectors, said plates containing apertures forreceiPt of a second quartz body; D. first and second dichroic layerseach disposed upon said reflectors; E. a second quartz body defining anelongated tube-like structure having a hollow center portion, saidsecond tube-like structure rigidly secured at one end thereof to one ofthe plates, and slidably mounted at its other end to the other plate, soas to align the hollow center portion opposite said dichroic layers;and, F. a pair of electrodes for producing said discharge, each mountedat opposite ends of said first quartz body and communicating to theinterior thereof.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein one of saidapertured plates is provided with a plurality of holes for gas pressurecompensation.
 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the dischargeoccurs in a gaseous helium neon mixture with an overall pressure of 3Torr, of which 10% consists of neon.